It’s weird that throughout my life there were so many shows I was at one point all about, then one day suddenly, I was none about.

Let’s examine this collection of programs that I enjoyed watched weekly until I didn’t:

THE FAMILY SHOWS

I watched all seven seasons of both Family Ties (when Andy was long in the tooth and Nick was out-moron-ing Mallory) and Growing Pains (Leo DiCaprio as a homeless kid ring any bells?), and I’m pretty sure I stuck through all eight seasons of Full House for some reason (when it really was a full house after Uncle Jesse and Becky had twins).

These… I didn’t:

• The Cosby Show (’84-’92)
• Who’s the Boss? (’84-’92)
• Roseanne (’88-’97)
  
• Home Improvement (’91-’99)
• Boy Meets World (’93-’00)
  
• That 70’s Show (’98-’06)
  
• Malcolm in the Middle (’00-’06)

What’s odd is that most of these shows made it to eight seasons, just like The Office has this year.  If I didn’t haven’t my Parks and Recreation and Community, I might have given up on what’s hopefully The Office’s last season.  So why did I stop watching those shows?  Outgrowing them is the likely culprit, but it could be cast and concept changes.

THE OFFBEAT SITCOMS

These are the shows I simply stopped because I wasn’t feelin’ it any more (or main characters were killed in real life – RIP Phil Hartman):

• My Name is Earl (changed story focus)
• Grounded for Life (changed format)
• Titus (got dark)
• Newsradio (see above)
• Just Shoot Me (got boring? I don’t remember…)
• Reno 911! (the movie turned me off)
• Scrubs (season 9 sucked)

THE OBVIOUS QUITS I SHOULD HAVE QUIT MUCH EARLIER

• Frasier
• Mad About You
• The Drew Carey Show
• Dharma and Greg
• Coach

And of course, there’s…

THE KING OF SHOWS I STOPPED WATCHING

• The Simpsons